1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feeding device for feeding animals, such as pigs or hogs, which includes a feed reservoir from which feed is supplied to a base member defining a feed support surface or trough surface substantially exclusively under the influence of gravity.
2. The Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,425 discloses a feeding device or feeding apparatus of this type for feeding ground mixture to swine or hogs. In this known ground mixture feeder the feed reservoir is rotatably mounted in relation to the circular pan defining an annular trough therein. Radial projections fastened to the lower end of the reservoir are located within the annular trough so that the hogs when feeding will snout the projections back and forth and thereby turn the reservoir back and forth. Thereby stopping and clogging of the feed will be prevented and the flow of feed from the reservoir into the trough may be accelerated.
DE-C2-26 52 788 discloses a more simple and steady feeding device in which feed under the influence of gravity may flow from a feed reservoir and a feed discharge tube depending therefrom to a feed support surface of a trough. The feed discharge tube, which is stiff, is connected to the lower part of the funnel-shaped feed reservoir, which is made from an easily deformable material so that the depending feed discharge tube may be moved in transverse directions. The open lower end of the feed discharge tube is closely spaced from the feed support surface of the trough, and an intermediate part of the feed discharge opening is surrounded by an annular member having an inner diameter exceeding the outer diameter of the feed discharge tube whereby the clearance between the annular member and the outer surface of the feed discharge tube allow for a certain transverse movement of the feed discharge tube. The animals being fed by means of the feeding device may push and easily displace the lower end of the feed discharge tube and thereby accelerate the delivery rate of feed to the feed support surface. The vertical position of the movement restricting annular member may be adjusted to adjust the apparatus to the size of the animals being fed. However, as the lower part of the feed reservoir is made from an easily deformable material so that the feed discharge tube may to some extent be displaced axially upwardly, the known feeding device is in practice suited for feeding piglets only.
The present invention provides feeding device of the type just described which may be used for feeding animals of different size with a minimum of adjustments being necessary.